This invention generally relates to a telecommunication network and, more particularly, to a telecommunications network with a system for remotely managing elements of the network by means of commands sent through the network.
The present inventors have determined that known management systems for telecommunications networks disadvantageously require the use of special communications protocols that are not well adapted to distributive management. In known management systems, such as simple management network protocol (SNMP)response indications to command requests cannot be correlated to the original forward request and commands are sent only in accordance with a single process or from only a single processor. The commands are dependent on the protocol used between the manager and the target element to be controlled. Moreover, known management systems are cumbersome to use in that only simple commands are permitted which have a single action unconditionally commanded and a single response.
In accordance with the present invention, the disadvantages of the telecommunications networks known management systems having the limitations and disadvantages noted above are overcome by provision of a distributive management system for remotely managing a telecommunications network having a plurality of network elements.
In accordance with the invention this is achieved by supporting command execution in a distributed environment. With respect to one aspect of the invention commands can be composed in a different process or processor by utilizing CORBA or CORBA-like communication. Commands are independent of the protocol used between the managing computer and the element being controlled. Preferably, the commands are composed in EMAPI notation and the target protocol is SNMP.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention the efficiency of the management system is enhanced by supporting construction of complex commands which include response-conditional commands in a sequence of commands. Execution of some of the commands in a hierarchical sequence of commands are dependent upon the indicated result of attempted execution of one or more higher order or earlier commands in the sequence.
In the preferred embodiment, a telecommunications network having a plurality of network elements is provided with a distributive network management system for remotely managing the plurality of network elements. Preferably, the distributive management system of the present invention comprises a management computer with a management program and means for enabling communications through a computer Internet by the management program of managed object commands and an element management server. The element management server is a server on the computer Internet and has at least one managed object in communication through the computer Internet with the plurality of network elements via a simplified network management protocol to communicate management information concerning the plurality of network elements. The managed objects are responsive to the managed object commands from the management computer to provide management information to the management program and to take actions as directed.
In the preferred embodiment the commands are composed in EMAPI notation to render them independent of any protocol used between the element manager and the managed network elements. The managed network elements employ an SNMP protocol, and communications between the management computer and the element manager server utilizes CORBA.
In keeping with another important aspect of the invention, complex commands are supported. The element server receives and stores a chain of commands including at least one contingent command, determines the results of at least one of the commands, based upon determined results selectively taking action in accordance with the results of the at least one of the commands.
The managed object commands received from the management computer are automatically converted into a corresponding set commands of the simplified network management protocol. An event distributor provides filtering, routing and distribution of simplified network management protocol traps, commands, command acknowledgments and command responses. An alarm manager provides an indication of current active alarms within the plurality of network elements.
Preferably, the element management server generates an interactive web page with a graphic user interface with the at least one managed object for transmission to and display at the management computer. The web page which utilizes a JAVA applet communicating with the element manager via an element management application programming interface (EMAPI) utilizing CORBA has a menu of individual maintenance unit command options and includes a system status summary page for each managed network element. The web page also preferably includes a list of active alarms for the plurality of network elements.